A Habitat for Humanity home under construction at 10th Avenue and Mariposa Street in Denver.

Denver consistently tops “best places to live” lists, but with a swelling population and record-high housing costs, it is getting harder and harder to afford to live here. In fact, our city is at tipping point and we face an affordable housing crisis.

Fortunately our elected officials are taking this crisis seriously and are working to address it. The Denver City Council will vote next week on how to pay for an affordable housing plan. But providing decent housing for nearly 35,000 people will come at a cost, and not everyone agrees on how to pay for it. It’s important to keep in mind why the plan is needed in the first place.

Consider these facts:

Over the last 10 years, housing prices have increased 91 percent in the Denver metro area — while wages have increased only 27 percent over approximately the same timeframe.

Earners need to make four times the minimum wage to afford a median-priced rental in Denver.

Denver needs 30,000 additional affordable housing units to meet the needs of people living in substandard housing.

Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver has been building and preserving affordable housing for 37 years, and we’ve never experienced a greater need than today. The number of families applying for our homeownership programs has tripled compared to just one year ago.

We’ve learned that addressing the issue isn’t just about putting people in decent homes. When we build strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable housing, we tackle so many other social issues affecting low-income families. Success in school and at work, healthier lifestyles, financial sustainability — housing impacts all of these outcomes. And they last for generations.

Studies show that when a neighborhood has a high level of homeownership, local schools perform better, crime rates are lower and local businesses are more successful. The fact is, strong and stable housing is the foundation that builds strong and stable communities.

We understand the challenges and costs of providing affordable housing for all who need it, and applaud the start city leaders have made thus far. But we believe political and business leaders, along with community members, can do even more to ensure a better Denver for families today, and for generations to come.

Look at Seattle, another large, progressive city working on an affordable housing plan. Seattle has a similar housing need, but with a significantly larger dollar amount attached to its plan. Approximately 45,000 Seattle households pay more than 50 percent of their income towards housing. Seattle recently passed a housing levy that will dedicate $41.4 million per year for the next seven years to affordable housing. Denver has 34,600 rental households paying more than 50 percent of their income towards housing. Our city is proposing an affordable housing revenue fund that will dedicate $150 million over the next 10 years to affordable housing, or $15 million per year.

Based on these statistics, Seattle has 30 percent more severely cost-burdened households, yet the city is proposing 276 percent more in annual funding to support affordable housing.

We know Denver can do better.

Let’s work together to make sure Denver passes the affordable housing revenue fund without delay. Please actively support our city’s efforts to address the affordable housing crisis through adequate resources and funding. Let your elected officials, neighbors and employers know that affordable housing is a critical social issue that needs our attention — today more than ever before.

Heather Lafferty is CEO and executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver.

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